• Woman blackmailed South Korean football star Son Heung-min

• She demanded $200,000

A woman was sentenced to four years in prison in South Korea after blackmailing football star Son Heung-min with a false claim that she was pregnant by him.

The Seoul court, according to local media, revealed that last year she contacted the player claiming she was pregnant, even though she was not certain.

She attempted to extort 300 million South Korean won (about $200,000), threatening to expose the matter if he did not comply.

The money was reportedly spent on luxury goods and international brands.

Prosecutors told the court: "The woman insists the money was compensation and presents herself as a victim, but her claims do not match the facts," confirming that the crime was carefully planned.

Her accomplice threatened the star 15 times to obtain the money and was sentenced to two years in prison for attempted extortion.

Son approached the police this year when further demands were made.

The judge noted that the woman and her accomplice exploited Son’s fame to commit the crime, causing him "severe psychological pressure" after the case became public.

It is worth noting that Son had ranked second among the highest-paid players in Major League Soccer (MLS) last October, the league’s top level.

In August, Son left Tottenham after ten years to join Los Angeles FC in the most expensive transfer in MLS history.

The player is one of Asia’s most prominent football stars, enjoying wide popularity in his country and region, and was the first Asian to win the Premier League Golden Boot in 2022 as the league’s top scorer.